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Christian Wilhelmsson

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Christian Wilhelmsson
Wilhelmsson playing for Sweden at Euro 2012
Personal information
Full name Christian Ulf Wilhelmsson
Date of birth (1979-12-08) 8 December 1979 (age 44)
Place of birth Malmö, Sweden
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1988–1997 Mjällby AIF
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Mjällby AIF 52 (11)
2000–2003 Stabæk 84 (25)
2003–2006 Anderlecht 90 (13)
2006–2008 Nantes 13 (0)
2007 → Roma (loan) 19 (1)
2007–2008 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) 8 (0)
2008 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 15 (1)
2008–2012 Al-Hilal 69 (24)
2011–2012 → Al Ahli (loan) 11 (0)
2012 LA Galaxy 5 (1)
2013–2014 Baniyas 8 (3)
2014 Mjällby AIF 12 (5)
2015 Mjällby AIF 3 (1)
2018 Torsby IF 1 (1)
Total 390 (86)
International career
2000–2001 Sweden U21 16 (2)
2001–2012 Sweden 79 (9)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Christian Ulf "Chippen" Wilhelmsson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈkrɪ̌sːtɪjan ˈvɪ̂lː(h)ɛ(l)mˌsɔn]; born 8 December 1979) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a winger. Beginning his career with Mjällby AIF in 1997, he went on to represent clubs in Norway, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, England, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Qatar before retiring at Mjällby in 2015. Wilhelmsson won 79 caps for the Sweden national team between 2001 and 2012, and represented his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and at Euro 2004, 2008, and 2012.

Club career

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Early years and Anderlecht

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Born in Malmö, Wilhelmsson started his career with Mjällby AIF in 1997, playing in three second division seasons with the club. He then spent as many years in neighbouring Norway with Stabæk Fotball.

In the 2003 summer Wilhelmsson joined R.S.C. Anderlecht in Belgium, being an undisputed starter during his spell and scoring nine top division goals combined in the capital side's 2004 and 2006 league conquests.

Nantes

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In 2006, Wilhelmsson moved to the French Ligue 1 team FC Nantes.[1]

Loan to Roma

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However, on 10 January of the following year, he joined A.S. Roma on loan until the end of the season, when the Italians had the option to buy for €3 million. He made his Serie A debut on 14 January against FC Messina,[2] Roma did not take advantage of its option to buy and Wilhelmsson returned to Nantes after the season and immediately starting seeking a new club following the Canaries' relegation from Ligue 1.[3]

Loan to Bolton Wanderers

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Following speculation about a move to various Premier League clubs or Scottish club Celtic,[4][5] he signed for Bolton Wanderers on a 12-month loan, with an option to make the deal permanent after 20 games.[6] He made 13 appearances all competitions comprised, mostly as a substitute, his debut coming in a 1–3 away defeat against Portsmouth.[7] Wilhelmsson was instrumental in closing the club's signing of countryman Johan Elmander for a record transfer fee, for 2008–09.

Loan to Deportivo La Coruña

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He was again loaned by Nantes, this time moving to Spain and Deportivo de La Coruña on 30 January 2008. He played his first La Liga match against Getafe CF, coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 home draw, and made his first start two rounds later, in a home fixture match against RCD Espanyol (2–0 home win).[8] Wilhelmsson scored his first goal for Depor on 1 March 2008, in a 2–1 home win against Sevilla FC,[9] and finished the campaign firmly established in the side's starting XI – he would start in 13 of his league appearances – as the Galicians eventually finished ninth and qualified to the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Al-Hilal

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In 2008, Wilhelmsson signed a three-year contract with Saudi club Al-Hilal FC for about €9 million. He helped the club win the league title in his second year, scoring nine goals and making ten assists in 20 appearances; for his contributions he received the Player of the Season award, going on to win four additional major titles during his tenure, including two consecutive Saudi Crown Prince Cup where he scored in both finals.

Loan to Al Ahli

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Wilhelmsson spent the first half of 2011–12 on loan with Qatar's Al Ahli SC.[10]

Wilhelmsson playing for Al Ahli in 2011.

LA Galaxy

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Wilhelmsson was announced as a LA Galaxy player on 5 September 2012.[11] He scored in his Major League Soccer debut nine days later, in a 2–0 win against the Colorado Rapids.

Baniyas

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On 14 January 2013, Wilhelmsson signed a one-and-a-half-year deal with Baniyas SC.[12]

Return to Mjällby AIF and retirement

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Wilhelmsson signed for Mjällby AIF and made his Allsvenskan debut during the 2014 Allsvenskan season at the age of 34.[13] After a short spell with former club Mjällby, he officially announced his retirement.[14] However, in August 2015, he came out of retirement to help the latter team retain their status in the Superettan,[15] which was eventually not achieved.

International career

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Gaining his first cap in 2001, Wilhelmsson represented Sweden at UEFA Euro 2004, Euro 2008, Euro 2012 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, featuring in every one of the national team's four games in the latter tournament and starting in two.

On 4 September 2006 he was one of three international players sent home for breaking a curfew during a night out, the other two being Olof Mellberg and Zlatan Ibrahimović.[16] In March 2011, he was involved in a training ground scuffle with the latter.[17]

Wilhelmsson scored his first brace for Sweden in a Euro 2012 qualifier against San Marino on 6 September 2011 (5–0 away win), for his seventh and eighth international goals.[18] He was also selected for the finals in Poland and Ukraine by manager Erik Hamren, collecting three bench appearances in an eventual group stage exit.

Personal life

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Wilhelmsson married Russian-born model Oksana Andersson in May 2010, in Las Vegas.[19] Aside from Swedish, he also speaks fluent English.

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[20]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Mjällby 1997 Division 1 Södra 6 0 0 0 – – 6 0
1998 Division 1 Södra 21 4 0 0 – – 21 4
1999 Division 1 Södra 25 7 0 0 – – 25 7
Total 52 11 0 0 – – 52 11
Stabæk 2000 Tippeligaen 24 9 0 0 – – 24 9
2001 Tippeligaen 25 6 0 0 – – 25 6
2002 Tippeligaen 26 6 0 0 – 26 6
2003 Tippeligaen 9 4 0 0 – – 9 4
Total 84 25 0 0 – 84 25
Anderlecht 2003–04 Belgian Pro League 27 5 0 0 – 27 5
2004–05 Belgian Pro League 32 4 0 0 – 32 4
2005–06 Belgian Pro League 31 5 0 0 – 31 5
Total 90 14 0 0 – 90 14
Nantes 2006–07 Ligue 1 13 0 0 0 1 0 – 14 0
Roma (loan) 2006–07 Serie A 19 1 0 0 3 0 3 0 25 1
Bolton (loan) 2007–08 Premier League 8 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 13 0
Deportivo (loan) 2007–08 La Liga 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1
Al-Hilal 2008–09 Saudi Professional League 18 4 9 4 – 4 0 31 8
2009–10 Saudi Professional League 21 9 8 3 – 9 3 38 15
2010–11 Saudi Professional League 22 6 6 2 – 4 2 32 10
2011–12 Saudi Professional League 8 5 1 1 – 4 2 13 8
Total 69 24 24 10 – 21 7 114 41
Al Ahli (loan) 2011–12 Qatar Stars League 11 0 0 0 – – 11 0
LA Galaxy 2012 Major League Soccer 5 1 0 0 4 0 – 9 1
Baniyas 2013–14 UAE Division One 8 3 – – – 8 3
Mjällby 2014 Allsvenskan 12 5 – – – 12 5
2015 Superettan 3 1 1 0 2 0 – 6 1
Total 15 6 1 0 2 0 – 18 6
Career total 389 86 26 10 11 0 27 7 453 103

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[21]
National team Year Apps Goals
Sweden 2001 1 0
2002 0 0
2003 3 0
2004 14 1
2005 8 1
2006 12 1
2007 10 1
2008 6 0
2009 5 0
2010 5 1
2011 8 3
2012 7 1
Total 79 9
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wilhelmsson goal.
List of international goals scored by Christian Wilhelmsson
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 October 2004 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland  Iceland 4–0 4–1 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2. 4 June 2005 Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden  Malta 3–0 6–0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 11 October 2006 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland  Iceland 2–1 2–1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
4. 13 October 2007 Rheinpark, Vaduz, Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein 2–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
5. 2 June 2010 Dinamo Stadium, Minsk, Belarus  Belarus 1–0 1–0 Friendly
6. 2 September 2011 Ferenc Puskás, Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 1–1 1–2 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
7. 6 September 2011 Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 2–0 5–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
8. 5–0
9. 30 May 2012 Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden  Iceland 3–1 3–2 Friendly

Honours

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Anderlecht

Roma

Al-Hilal

LA Galaxy

Baniyas

Sweden

Individual

References

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  1. ^ ""Chippen" klar för Nantes". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
  3. ^ Kent Hedlundh (2 July 2007). "Wilhemsson looking for switch". Sky Sports.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Graeme Bailey (11 July 2007). "Prem trio battle for winger". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007.
  5. ^ "Celtic monitor winger Wilhelmsson". Vital Football. 8 July 2007. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 12 July 2007.
  6. ^ "Wilhelmsson completes Bolton move". BBC Sport. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2009.
  7. ^ "Portsmouth 3–1 Bolton". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  8. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 2–0 Espanyol". ESPN Soccernet. 24 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 2–1 Sevilla FC". ESPN Soccernet. 1 March 2008. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Ah Ahli sign Swedish international Wilhelmsson". Qatar Football Association. 5 September 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ "LA Galaxy sign Swedish international midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson". LA Galaxy. 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  12. ^ "Chippen klar för Abu Dhabi". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). 13 January 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Här gör "Chippen" debut i allsvenskan". DN.SE (in Swedish). 9 August 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
  14. ^ ""Chippen" lägger av med fotbollen: "Det har varit en fantastisk resa"" ["Chippen" retires from football: "It has been a fantastic journey"] (in Swedish). Fotbollskanalen Europa. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2015.
  15. ^ ""Chippen" gör comeback" ["Chippen" makes a comeback] (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  16. ^ Swedish football stars booted out of national squad; The Local, 5 September 2006
  17. ^ Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks Christian Wilhelmsson during training – Video Archived 21 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Total Football Madness, 28 March 2011
  18. ^ Five star Sweden too good for ten-man San Marino; UEFA.com, 6 September 2011
  19. ^ "Chippen Wilhelmsson och Oksana Andersson gifta i Las Vegas" [Chippen Wilhelmsson and Oksana Andersson married in Las Vegas] (in Swedish). Expressen. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  20. ^ "C. Wilhelmsson". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Christian Wilhelmsson - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se. (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Stora Grabbars Märke - Svensk fotboll". www.svenskfotboll.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2021.
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